Sanding block



Nov. 13, 1962 w. A. BELL ETAL 3,063,208

SANDING BLOCK Filed March 17, 1961 E M/jmw INVENTORS- United States Patent Ofifice 3,063,208 Patented Nov. 13., 1952 Filed Mar. 17, 1961, Ser. No. 96,571 7 Claims. (Cl. 51-187) This invention relates to abrasive tools and particularly to a sanding block adapted to hold and support a sanding belt for hand use. i

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sanding block having improved means for holding and tensioning a sanding belt around a pair of relatively movable block members in which the spacing between the block members may be conveniently and readily adjusted to permit removal and installation of a belt.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a sanding block of the above character which may be used in sanding a variety of different surfaces, including long, fiat, smooth surfaces and surfaces having a wall or other obstruction adjacent thereto.

' It is still another object of the present invention to provide a sanding block which is readily and conveniently grasped in the hand, which is light in weight and which may be inexpensively constructed.

' These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a sanding block embodying the principles of the present invention, shown with a sanding belt fitted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the structure shown in FIG. 1, taken along the line 2 2 thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the structure shown in FIG. 2, taken along the line 3--3 thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, the sanding block is illustrated in association with an endless sanding belt 10 and includes a pair of block members 12 and 14 which are disposed within the belt 10 and are relatively movable toward and away from one another to either permit the removal of the belt from said block members or to cause the belt to be tensioned around said block members. The block member 12 is of elongated and rectangular cross sectional shape and has an elongated, flat upper surface 16 and an elongated, fiat lower surface 18 parallel to the upper face 16. Additionally, the block has a pair of opposite flat side walls 2t and 22, a rear wall 24 and a front wall 26. As may be seen in FIG. 2, the block 12 is formed from two separate complementary upper and lower parts 28a and 23b, which are of mirror image construction with respect to one another and are suitably recessed to form a series of cavities 30, 32 and 34 within the block 12. In addition, the parts-28a and 2812 are inwardly grooved to form hand gripping recesses 36 and 33 in the block side walls 20 and 22.

The block 12 is formed with a circular opening or bore 40 at the forward end thereof which extends from the front wall 26 into the cavity 34. The bore 40 receives a stud 42 for sliding movement longitudinally of the block 12. The stud 42 is threaded through a wall 44 of the block 14 to connect the block members 12 and 14. The block 14 will be seen to be of considerably length than the block 12 and is provided with the wall 44, which is of a similar size and shape to the front wall 26 of the block 12, and also an arcuate forward wall 46 around which the belt is tensioned at one end of the structure. The stud 42 is securely fastened in the block 14 at its one end and is provided with an enlarged and rounded head 48 at its other end which is of larger cross-sectional area than the bore 40 and thus abuts against the wall of the cavity 34 around the passage 40 to retain the blocks 12 and 14 in assembled relationship. The head 48 additionally abuts against one face or surface 50 of a movable abutment member 52, which is of a height sufiicient to be snugly but slidably confined between the upper and lower walls of the cavity 34.

The abutment member 52 has an elongated threaded aperture 54 which threadably receives a screw 56 having a shouldered member 58 at one end thereof. The shouldered member 58 may be in the form of a nut which is fixedly soldered or welded in place on the end of the screw 56. The nut 58 is positioned within a cavity 60 spaced from the cavity 34 and separated therefrom by a Wall 62. A head 64 is formed on the opposite end of the screw 56 and is provided with an enlarged flange portion 66 which is rotatably abutable against a wall 68 formed on one side of a recess 70 which is cut into theside wall 26 of the block 12 and which is inclined relative to the length of the block member 12. As the head of the screw 64 is manually rotated, movement of the screw 56 along its axis is prevented by the abutment of the flange portion 66 against the wall 68 and the abutment of the shouldered portion 58 against the wall 62, so that the screw 56 rotates in place. The abutment member 52, which is held against rotation by its confinement within the cavity 34, is thus caused to move along the axis of the screw 56. In so doing, its face 50, which is disposed perpendicularly to the stud 42, as well as to the length of the block 12, is caused to move toward and away from the block 14 and to move the stud 42 back and forth within the bore 40. In so doing, the head 48 undergoes relative sliding movementalong the surface 50 but the surface 50 is of sufiicient width to remain continuously in engagement with the stud" head 48. By this means, the spacing between the block members 12 and 14 may be adjusted to permit the change or adjustment of the sanding belts.

As illustrated in FIG. 2., a rubber pad 76 may be installed between the belt 10 and one face of the block 12 as, for example, the lower surface 18. The pad 76 is of sufiicient length to span the gap between the blocks 12 and 14 and to engage the wall 46 of the block 14 adjacent the wall 44 thereof.

While the sanding block of the present invention may be made from a variety of materials, it is believed that a high-impact polystyrene will provide the tool with suflicient rigidity and strength for normal usage, yet will be sufficiently light-weight as to make the tool extremely easy" to use. Of course, the two parts 28a and 28b are held to-" gether by any suitable adhesive applied along the parting line '78 shown in FIG. 2.

In the use of the sanding block, the thumb is held along one of the recesses 36 or 38, with'the fingers being posi-- tioned in the other of said recesses. Either the side of the belt along the pad 76 or adjacent the top wall 16 may be applied to the surface to be sanded. It will be noted that the head 64 of the screw 56 is recessed inwardly of the side wall 29 and, for this reason, either side of the sanding block may be moved directly up against a side wall or other surface perpendicular to and intersecting the surface to be sanded and, thus, access to corners and edges is unrestricted. The formation of the cavities 30 and 32 provides the unit with a desirable lightness which 3 at substantially a 40 angle relative to the length of the sanding block, although it will be appreciated that a variety of other attitudes of the screw 56 may be utilized. However, it will be noted that, by inclining the screw 56, a greater length of adjustment of the abutment member 52 is possible for a given width of the block 12.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiment herein illustrated is well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A tool for supporting a sanding belt including a first block, an elongated second block, an element carried by said first block extending into said second block, a screw supported in said second block for rotation about an axis inclined relative to the length and width of said second block, said screw being held against substantial axial displacement, and a member threaded on said screw for movement along the axis thereof upon rotation of said screw, said member having a surface disposed perpendicularly to the length of said second block and engageable with said element for moving said first block in a direction away from said second block upon rotation of said screw in one direction.

2. A tool for supporting and tensioning a sanding belt including a first block, an elongated second block having a cavity therein, an elongated element carried by said first block extending into said second block, a screw supported for rotation in said second block and extending through said cavity, an abutment member disposed within Said cavity and threaded on said screw for movement along the axis thereof upon rotation of said screw, said abutment member being held against rotation by the walls of said cavity and having an abutment surface engageable with said element for moving said blocks away from one another upon rotation of said screw in a given direction.

3. A tool for supporting and tensioning a sanding belt including a first block, an elongated second block having spaced top and bottom walls and spaced side walls, an element carried by said first block and extending into said second block, a screw supported for rotation and against movement along the axis thereof in said second block, said screw having a head recessed inwardly of one side wall of said second block and accessible from said one side wall, an abutment member threaded on said screw for translation along the axis thereof upon rotation of said screw, an abutment surface on said abutment member engageable with said element for moving said blocks away from one another upon rotation of said screw in a given direction.

4. A tool for supporting and tensioning a sanding belt including a first block, a second block having a cavity formed therein and an opening extending from said cavity to one end wall of said second block, a stud carried by said first block extending through said opening and having a head disposed within said cavity, a screw carried by said second block for rotation extending through said cavity, an abutment member within said cavity threaded on said screw and having a surface engageable with the head of said stud for movement of said blocks in a direction away from one another upon rotation of said screw in a given direction.

5. A tool for supporting and tensioning a sanding belt including a first block, an elongated second block having a cavity and a bore extending from said cavity to one end of said second block in a direction longitudinally of the length of said block, a stud fixed to said first block at one end thereof and extending through said opening into the cavity of said second block, a head on said stud operable to retain said blocks in assembled relationship, a screw supported for rotation in said second block and extending through said cavity, an abutment member threaded on said screw in said cavity, said abutment member having an abutment surface disposed perpendicularly to said stud and slidably engageable with the head of said stud upon rotation of said screw to move said blocks in a direction away from one another upon rotation of said screw in a given direction.

6. A tool for supporting a sanding belt including a first block, an elongated second block, an element carried by said first block extending into said second block, a screw supported in said second block for rotation about an axis inclined relative to the length and width of said second block, said screw being held against substantial axial displacement, and a member threaded on said screw for movement along the axis thereof upon rotation of said screw, said member having a surface disposed perpendicularly to the length of said second block and operable to apply a force to said element for moving said first block in a direction away from said second block upon rotation of said screw in one direction.

7. A tool for supporting and tensioning a sanding belt including a first block, an elongated second block having a cavity therein, an elongated element carried by said first block extending into said second block, a screw supported for rotation in said second block and extending through said cavity, an abutment member disposed within said cavity and threaded on said screw for movement along the axis thereof upon rotation of said screw, said abutment member being held against rotation by the walls of said cavity and having an abutment surface operable to apply a force to said element for moving said blocks away from one another upon rotation of said screw in a given direction.

Dufioth Mar. 2, 1926 Bonkowski Jan. 10, 1950 

